


Pity has obliged me to marry

by Kjam



Series: Hamilton one-shots [2]
Category: 18th Century CE RPF, American Revolution RPF, Hamilton - Miranda, Hamilton - Miranda (Broadway Cast) RPF, Historical RPF
Genre: Friendship, Marriage, Multi, Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:35:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25534468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kjam/pseuds/Kjam
Summary: John Laurens married a six month pregnant Martha in 1776. He wrote to his friend: "Pity has obliged me to marry". But what if the child wasn't even his?
Relationships: John Laurens/Martha Manning
Series: Hamilton one-shots [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1863049
Kudos: 10





	Pity has obliged me to marry

**Author's Note:**

> So after watching Hamilton for the 100th time today I visited our boy Laurens' Wikipedia page and read that he was married. Then I had this idea, what if Martha was his friend, and he did her a big favor by claiming the child he didn't father. So here is the result. Enjoy!

They are six when they first meet. John is hiding from his tutor in the garden. He is drawing the birds on a sheet of paper when a shadow appears on the paper. He looks up: it’s a girl his age, with a rag doll in her arms.  
"You scared the birds away!"  
"Sorry. What are you doing?"  
"I was drawing, but now I can’t continue."  
"I’m Martha. This is my baby, Lizzy. Do you wanna play? You can be the dad."  
As they make cakes out of the mud for Lizzy, she is blabbing about her dolls and he doesn’t know yet, but it’s a friendship that will last a lifetime.

They are fourteen when she catches him kissing a boy behind the mansion. He is a school mate and his first kiss, but he runs off when he notices Martha. He never speaks to John after that.  
"What are you doing?!"  
"Please, Martha, you can’t tell anyone. My father would kill me."  
"Hey, calm down. I’m not telling. I’m your friend. Just, be careful, John. People can be cruel."

They are sixteen when people start to talk about them. John is relieved that this isn’t the other rumor, the one he always feared would go around about him, but he is also concerned for Martha’s reputation. She just laughs.  
"People will always talk. Let them. They will find a new topic soon."  
His family moves to London a few months later. He sneaks out to say goodby.  
"Promise that you will write to me! And don’t let those British guys woo you."  
"Martha!"  
"I’m just saying. Safe travel, John."  
She hugs him, and smiles at him, bright and happy, and he is glad that she is his friend. No one can wish for a better one.

They are twentyone when they reunite. Martha has grown from an all limbs and arms teenager into a beautiful woman. She has many admirers, but she doesn’t want to settle down yet.  
"Life is so much fun, I don’t need a husband. I want to dance and sing and have fun before I become a boring wife and start popping children out.<"br /> The rumors about the two of them spark up, but she tells him, again, to just ignore them.

They are twenty-two when she comes to him, desperate. It’s a rainy night, and he stayed up late to finish some drawings when there is a knock on his door. He gets up to answer it and it’s her, soaking wet and very visibly pregnant.  
"I need your help, John."  
He sats her down and listens to her story. The story of a young girl, who was reckless and in love.  
"Are you sure he won’t marry you? I can talk to him."  
"I already did. He doesn’t care. He moved to New York, and he isn’t answering my letters. I’m all alone."  
"You have me, you know you always will."  
"That’s why I came to you. You are the only one who can help. My parents kicked me out. My child can’t be a bastard. They already talk about us being a couple. Please, John."  
She is crying and shaking. She doesn’t ask the question, but she doesn’t have to. John already knows the answer when he hugs her. Giving birth outside of marriage is social suicide. She would be an outcast, shamed, and mocked. The child would have a tainted name from the start. He has known for a long time that he will never marry a woman out of love. Why not do it for her?  
"It’s okay. We will marry as soon as possible."  
It’s a small ceremony. John's parents are furious when he admits to them that he got a girl pregnant and intends to marry her, but they still attend the wedding. Three months later Martha gives birth. It lasts hours and John is pacing outside the room, hearing her screams makes him worried sick. Then a new voice joins the cacophony, a loud cry, and he storms into the room.  
"It’s a girl, Mr. Laurens."  
"Fanny, meet your dad" Martha gently lays her in his arms.  
Tiny fingers grasp his, and John knew at that moment that he made the right decision, for his friend, and for his daughter.


End file.
